Great Commission
Why? It is offensive to people, it is a form of judgment, a prejudice, passionate propaganda. It has been spearheaded by people like Jonathan Edwards with his ‘fire and brimstone,’ hanging over the pits of hell attack as the bunt of the club to bash unbelievers over the head with. What is it? It is what many people see as proselytizing your faith.
I hope I can dispel this tragic trend of thought. Do not get me wrong, there are people out there who do very well to fit into this description of “sharing your faith.” I have seen first hand a Fred Phelps protest. There is nothing Christ-like in such an action. It hurts me to think that they would hate so much when hatred is the antithesis of all that Jesus stood for, and yet they would claim to be ambassadors of Christ. I hope you can trust me when I tell you that that is no where near what true Christianity looks like. The great commission is not condemnation for those who do not agree, it is not a buy-in scheme for money or power, and it is not about the number of converts. It is not even about sharing ideas, though that is a good thing it is not what the great commission is about. So if all that is what evangelism is not, what exactly is it?
It is a story of love. A story of hope. A story of truth. Yes, it does have a depressively realistic view of man’s nature - messed up, but the whole point in the story is that mercy is offered when condemnation is deserved and even more than that. If mercy is not getting what you deserve, grace is getting what you do not deserve. Not only does this story offer mercy to replace guilt but it goes further to offer grace in the form of love and intimate relationship. Let me explain.
What is the Bible? It is a book, yes. A religious book, true. But what is it? It is our story. The story of mankind. We were created to love and obey God, but as love is a choice, we chose to instead love ourselves and chose to disobey God. In God’s ultimate righteousness and justice, sin and evil are things He utterly cannot stand, so our relationship with God was severed. We stand condemned, separated from the God who created us to love Him because we are to blame.
The good news is the story does not end there. Our guilt demands a cost. The cost is condemnation of the ‘fire and brimstone’ kind, but God sent His son Jesus Christ to pay for your cost. It is offered as a gift of love that would restore those who accept it to the position in which we were meant to be in- to love and bring glory to God from within an intimate relationship with the living God who created us. That is the message of the great commission - the command to go out to all nations spreading the good news of Christ and His gift of love.
That is what the great commission is, but I have yet to answer the original question, why. It is because this is the answer the world has been looking for. Because it offers redemption - it is a saving grace. Because we love God that much. Because He told us to and we wish to obey His every command. Because we love you. Yes, but even more than that.
What is the Bible? It is the story of all that God has done for you throughout time. The distance and endless effort at which God has worked to bring you back to Himself. So what is it? It is God’s love letter. His personal love letter meant for you. There is an open invitation in God’s love letter. It was meant for all of mankind. And that is why Jesus commanded us to take it to all nations, because He wants His love letter to be read to every man, woman and child on this great earth. We are the mutual friends of a long distance relationship and upon us is the incredible weight and responsibility of delivering a love letter. It is addressed to you. And that is why. Because He loves you.
Jared Williams
I hope I can dispel this tragic trend of thought. Do not get me wrong, there are people out there who do very well to fit into this description of “sharing your faith.” I have seen first hand a Fred Phelps protest. There is nothing Christ-like in such an action. It hurts me to think that they would hate so much when hatred is the antithesis of all that Jesus stood for, and yet they would claim to be ambassadors of Christ. I hope you can trust me when I tell you that that is no where near what true Christianity looks like. The great commission is not condemnation for those who do not agree, it is not a buy-in scheme for money or power, and it is not about the number of converts. It is not even about sharing ideas, though that is a good thing it is not what the great commission is about. So if all that is what evangelism is not, what exactly is it?
It is a story of love. A story of hope. A story of truth. Yes, it does have a depressively realistic view of man’s nature - messed up, but the whole point in the story is that mercy is offered when condemnation is deserved and even more than that. If mercy is not getting what you deserve, grace is getting what you do not deserve. Not only does this story offer mercy to replace guilt but it goes further to offer grace in the form of love and intimate relationship. Let me explain.
What is the Bible? It is a book, yes. A religious book, true. But what is it? It is our story. The story of mankind. We were created to love and obey God, but as love is a choice, we chose to instead love ourselves and chose to disobey God. In God’s ultimate righteousness and justice, sin and evil are things He utterly cannot stand, so our relationship with God was severed. We stand condemned, separated from the God who created us to love Him because we are to blame.
The good news is the story does not end there. Our guilt demands a cost. The cost is condemnation of the ‘fire and brimstone’ kind, but God sent His son Jesus Christ to pay for your cost. It is offered as a gift of love that would restore those who accept it to the position in which we were meant to be in- to love and bring glory to God from within an intimate relationship with the living God who created us. That is the message of the great commission - the command to go out to all nations spreading the good news of Christ and His gift of love.
That is what the great commission is, but I have yet to answer the original question, why. It is because this is the answer the world has been looking for. Because it offers redemption - it is a saving grace. Because we love God that much. Because He told us to and we wish to obey His every command. Because we love you. Yes, but even more than that.
What is the Bible? It is the story of all that God has done for you throughout time. The distance and endless effort at which God has worked to bring you back to Himself. So what is it? It is God’s love letter. His personal love letter meant for you. There is an open invitation in God’s love letter. It was meant for all of mankind. And that is why Jesus commanded us to take it to all nations, because He wants His love letter to be read to every man, woman and child on this great earth. We are the mutual friends of a long distance relationship and upon us is the incredible weight and responsibility of delivering a love letter. It is addressed to you. And that is why. Because He loves you.
Jared Williams
